Nine Years Apart
by Bob the Almighty
Summary: Shortly after the end of Tokyo Babylon something happens that will send Subaru off on a grand adventure of epic proportions and drastically change his dark future. This is the first part of what may become many.


Nine Years Apart (version 1.2)

Author's Note:This is my attempt to change a few things for the better in the time between the end of Tokyo Babylon and X. It contains some Subaru+Seishirou but the latter isn't actually in it yet. It also contains an original character or two and some historical inaccuracy. 

This story is dedicated to Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) who is the author of a lot of great literature. 

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1496 ADSomewhere in Europe 

Emmathaphine Raylegarde had never lived an ordinary life. One couldn't when they had a name like _that_. She came from a long line of magic-users and psychics and by the time she was eight she had manifested in both abilities. Her family traveled a lot so growing up she'd had a variety of different teachers from all sorts of different cultures and places. Nearly all of whom had been shocked, and in some cases alarmed, at how quickly and completely she was able to absorb and _use_ what she learned from them. In many cases she wasn't exactly _powerful_ in a particular Art but she was _skilled_ and that tended to make all the difference. By the time she was fifteen Emma knew more about magic and the paranormal than some mages who were in their late hundreds. 

Many a psychic or mage would have loved to have her around, and not all for benevolent purposes. Disaster could easily have struck if not for the fact that Emmathaphine had the _wisdom_ of an elder mage. She was perfectly aware of what would happen if she ever _did_ settle down. So she maintained her family's long-standing tradition of wanderlust and never stayed anywhere longer than absolutely necessary. Never staying long enough to make any enemy think she'd made friends that could be used against her. It was a lonely life but Emma made up for it with a deep love for the world around her, knowledge, and wild and crazy adventure. 

It was on one such adventure that a seventeen year old Emma's way of life was changed drastically. It had begun as a simple affair involving some ancient ruins and some mysterious thefts from a nearby village. In her days as an adventure she had seen a lot of things, enough to be able to categorize certain problems fairly accurately. This was most likely a typical case of 'local cult living in ruins and collecting materials to summon demon.' So Emma had prepared some of her favorite attack spells, modified her personal shields, and entered the ruins. 

The place seemed to be empty; the dust covered corridors showed no footsteps or other signs of inhabitation. At first Emma had thought this meant that the thieves or cultists used a different entrance but, after descending several levels and discovering actual treasure, it begin to appear as if the ruins were abandoned. This was a bit unnerving and meant that the ruins, and possibly the thefts themselves, fell under a different category altogether. 

It was only upon reaching the sixth level down that the new category became apparent to her other-senses. No thieves or cultists resided here; or no _living_ ones at least. The sixth floor and down, however, was charged with the most spiritual energy Emmathaphine had ever seen outside a massive battlefield or the locale of a catastrophe. It was _old_ too; otherwise some of the energy would still have the spiritual signature of individual souls. 

What happened here? Emma wondered as she descended even lower in the ruins. Common sense said that it might be good idea to leave and then return with a priest of some sort who would have the actual power to exorcise the ruins. Emma _was_ only seventeen however, and in this case the need to _know_ outweighed her wisdom. So she ignored the nearly suffocating power charging the very air around her and descended to the final level. 

Said last level was barred with a heavy oaken door which, unlike the rest of the ruins, didn't seem rotted in the slightest. Emma paused briefly before it, logic and her own weak ability of foresight telling her that the knowledge she sought was beyond it. Then she gave the door a big push and entered the chamber beyond it. 

"Welcome savior," a female voice resounded through the brightly lit chamber Emma found herself standing in. 

"Er... hi?" Emma said hesitantly, blinking in the sudden brilliance. As her vision cleared more she could see that the chamber was some type of banquet hall, with two long tables on the left and right sides of it and one horizontally at the far end of the room. The floor was of polished wood, the walls covered with rich tapestries, and the tables made up with fancy table clothes and set with fine china. From the look of the table there was about three hundred guests expected... but Emma had a feeling they weren't going to show up anytime soon. In fact the place looked completely deserted... except for the tall blonde woman in the fancy white dress standing in front of the high table. 

"You may approach," the woman said softly, gesturing Emma forward. 

Pausing only a moment to try and collect her thoughts Emma did as bidden, coming to stand just outside the woman's reach. She had no idea what was going on here but the aura of magic in this room was incredibly powerful... and _old_. Also a bit disturbing was the fact that the lady in white was slightly translucent and floating a foot off the ground.... but her spiritual signature was not one of the dead. "Um... I hate to be rude but... what are you? I mean your aura says that you're alive but... well you're kinda... incorporeal. And what's with all the soul energy out there? What happened here?" 

The woman smiled sadly. "If you had been male the question would have been '_who_ are you?' not 'what'; I thank you for that." She paused as if to gather her thoughts then continued. "Long ago I was queen of this land.... We were at the peek of our power and very prosperous... but our neighbors were jealous of the vast spiritual power of the royal family. Because ours was a pacifist kingdom we wished to make peace with them..... We began negotiating for peace treaties and some sort of compromise over our power. All was going well, or so we thought, when I invited representatives from each neighboring kingdom to a royal banquet to celebrate the signing of the treaties. Little did I realize that my fellow rulers had been possessed by an ancient evil and the banquet was nothing but an opportunity to dispose of my family. 

The first night of the banquet went just as I'd hoped. Nearly everyone invited arrived on time and enjoyed the first dinner marvelously. I received so many complements that night that I was overjoyed. It wasn't until the next day that things started going wrong... little things at first like the kitchens running out of flour. It was mostly ignored and no one realized anything was wrong at all until just before dinner when the water aqueducts suddenly burst and sent everyone running for higher floors of the castle; this hall was once on ground floor after all. I was in here alone when it happened so I cannot be certain exactly what occurred... all I know is that there was a terrible crash and an overpowering aura of terrible evil. I felt the deaths of my people and my guests... it was instantaneous; they had no chance to defend themselves....." 

As the woman trailed into a mournful silence Emma wondered just when this had occurred. Though the spiritual energy was very old... shouldn't there have been a remnant of the evil the woman spoke of? Before she could ask the woman continued. 

"Before I could do anything the source of the evil appeared before me; a demon more powerful than ever I had seen before. It took the form of an imposing and flawlessly beautiful man but I'd been trained from early childhood to see past such illusion. I knew not why it would seek a place in the mortal world when it obviously was powerful even it's own. I _did_ know that even with my power I stood no chance against it in battle.... So I stalled for time and begun casting a spell so powerful, with consequences so dire, that no one had used it in thousands of years. The first part was easy; instead of just killing me the demon had a question.... he wanted to know the location of my youngest son." At this the queen smiled wryly. "... the answer to which I knew not. He had left three years previous on a journey to the far East... he could have been anywhere. Yet the little I knew was enough to buy me time to cast the spell. The demon didn't know what hit him." 

By this time Emma had decided that she probably wasn't in any danger so had plunked down onto the floor to listen. It wasn't exactly comfortable but her feet were starting to hurt from standing around. As the silence proved too long to be a pause Emma looked up and asked, "Then what happened? What did the spell do?" 

The lady blinked. "Oh. It Sealed the demon into a pocket dimension and trapped me here as an incorporeal form for the rest of eternity or until a descendant of mine releases me and defeats the demon for good." 

"Oh." Suddenly Emma frowned as something occurred to her. "How come when I first showed up you called me 'savior'? Cuz I'm not exactly the savior type y'know; I'm just a wandering adventuress." 

"You are also the first living person who's actually investigated these ruins enough to actually meet me," the lady said softly. "The first who didn't run away screaming when they felt the souls of the dead above." 

She paused then continued with a grin before Emma could object. "Plus I was recently told by a spiritual acquaintance of mine that you've been having a few problems with people after you for your amazing skill in magic; he suggested that you might welcome a way around it." 

Emma blinked. A way around having to dodge the multitude of evil mages and well meaning folk who cared only for what she could do rather than what she _wanted_ would sure be nice. "Oh? How so? And exactly what is it that you want me to do?" 

The lady sighed. "I need you to find the descendants of my son. Because they may be anywhere it won't be easy and may very well take many years. It _is_ necessary though; for in a mere five hundred years there will come an event wherein the world itself shall be in terrible danger... that doesn't have anything to do with this but I'd rather the demon was destroyed before then. It could very well save the world." 

Emma blinked again. That didn't quite make sense and sounded a lot like the lady just wanted to be free again. Still it wasn't something Emma could blame her for; it must suck to be trapped in one place for such a long time. She wanted to help; if only because a missing person search for a family that was last heard of several hundred years ago sounded kind of challenging. Still... "Well what's in this for me? You said something about a way to avoid all those idiots who keep stalking me?" 

"Yes." The woman nodded gracefully, "I'm offering to teach you how to become incorporeal at will; similar to the spell I'm under only you can switch it on and off whenever you want. The spell process will also stop you from aging without the use of an aging potion or spell. You'll be immune to disease, heal quickly from injury, and be invisible to all tracking and scrying spells while incorporeal. You can also _stay_ in either form for as long as you like without any consequence whatsoever." 

"What's the catch?" Emma asked suspiciously. Getting all the advantages of being a ghost while not actually being dead sounded too good to be true. Even in return for find the person or people who could set the lady free. 

"There isn't much of one," the lady said. "Just that you won't be visible physically to anyone _except_ for people with spiritual power or ability. These people will be able to see you like you see me. Many will probably think you are an actual ghost and try to exorcise you as such; only the more powerful and better trained will be able to see the truth." 

"Oh." Emma thought about it for a while then decided that the disadvantages could probably be worked around. "I'll do it. Finding your family could take a very long time but I'm sure I can do it!" 

The queen smiled joyously. "Oh thank you, thank you so much lady Emmathaphine! I'll begin teaching you the spell at once!" 

She winced. The lady's spiritual friend had probably told her what Emma's full name was. "Okay... but just call me Emma please." 

*** 

1991 AD 

Kyoto, Japan 

Despite his claims to the contrary Subaru Sumeragi hadn't lived a very ordinary life. Though only sixteen Subaru was the chosen head of Japan's foremost clan of omniyouji. It was his job to excorise restless spirits and prevent people from using omniyouji for evil. The first of which he didn't have a problem with... the later of which he felt that he'd failed dismally at. 

A year ago he and his beloved twin sister Hokuto had moved to Tokyo to take care of the spiritual problem. It was there that they met and befriended the kindly veterinarian Seishirou Sakurazukimori.... The man whom they trusted, who'd protected them. The man that Subaru had idolized and wished to be like... whom he'd eventually fallen hopelessly in love with. The man who had turned out to be their family's age-old enemy the Sakurazukimori. He had made a Bet with Subaru when he was little: that when they met again he would stay with and protect Subaru for a year and when that year was over if Seishirou hadn't fallen in love with Subaru he would kill him. The year had ended just three months ago with Seishirou announcing that he cared nothing for Subaru. That he could break a glass cup or Subaru's arm and it wouldn't make a difference to him. 

Only the timely arrival of Subaru's grandmother had saved him from death. However this betrayal had hurt Subaru so much that he'd closed himself into his Heart, not responding to the outside world at all. It was for this reason that his sister had gone to face Seishirou, to offer her life in exchange for Subaru's, and to cast a spell she claimed to be the only one able to cast. Little did she realize then just how big a mistake this was.... Subaru was indeed brought back to the waking world but no longer was he the innocent and trusting teen he had been. 

Now, consumed with grief and the need for vengeance against the man he still loved, Subaru locked himself away at the Sumeragi estate in Kyoto. He knew that his power was weakened by his uncontrolled and chaotic emotions but... it wasn't something he could help. In three short months he had lost everything that had ever meant anything to him. It was like the end of the world. 

*** 

1991 AD... a few weeks later. 

Kyoto 

It was on a sunny day in which Subaru found himself standing reluctantly in from of the Kyoto library. He wasn't sure if he would find what he was looking for here but over the past several weeks he had found several odd hintings at the origin of his family's power. It seemed that one of his far distant ancestors might have been a foreigner gifted with full citizenship upon saving the entire country with his power. This may or may not have any significance for Subaru's self imposed quest but he'd recently found that studying ancient manuscripts took his mind off of things. 

The library was quite large, and cooled with air-conditioning and organized in such a way that the entire place was almost icy. Subaru barely glanced around before asking permission to enter the records room. This was granted easily and before he knew it he was in a dusty old room browsing through the shelves. 

Soon he was so engrossed that he didn't even realize he wasn't alone until a bright and cheerful female voice declared: "Hi! What'cha looking for?" 

"Family records,' Subaru answered automatically as he looked up from the manuscript he was pursuing, expecting one of those irritatingly cheerful library helpers. Instead he found himself looking at the slightly translucent form of a foreign teenager in clothes that could easily have been designed by Hokuto on a fantasy kick. She didn't look very tall, though it was hard to tell since she was floating several feet off the ground. She was rather attractive- or she would have been if Subaru had swung that way- with curves in all the right places, short spiky blonde hair, and pale blue eyes. Oddly enough, despite the fact that the girl was translucent she wasn't a true ghost. In fact, according to her aura, the foreigner was quite alive. "Ano... what are you?" 

The girl blinked once or twice than burst into tears. Subaru stared for a moment then started apologizing profusely, completely unsure as to why he was doing so. 

"No, no that's okay," she replied through her tears. "It's just that you're the first person who actually bothered to ask me what I _am_ instead of who I _was_; thank you! You must be really good if you can tell I'm not actually dead." 

"I'm just an ordinary omniyouji," Subaru replied, blushing slightly at the compliment. "And nowhere near as good as I need to be," he added, thinking bitterly of Seishirou. 

The girl looked thoughtful. "Ne, I'm kinda well known for knowing all sorts of different kinds of magic.... If you're interested I'm always willing to take on students in the Arts." 

Even as Subaru stared at her with open astonishment the girl continued, "You might have heard of me, though I've been officially 'missing' for a few centuries. People used to nag me all the time and try and get to join their army or whatnot; that's why I decided to become incorporeal. People can't find me easily like this. Anyway I'm Emmathaphine Raylegarde, but please call me Emma." 

Subaru blinked. Was this girl serious? Even here in Japan, where 'outsider' styles of magic were mostly scorned, Emmathaphine Raylegarde was known and spoken of with reverence. She had started out in the late fourteenth century as a wandering adventurer and had been all over the world- somehow in the course of only a few years. Most remarkable was the fact that she was a true prodigy in the magical and paranormal arts; mastering dozens of types and styles of each from all over the world and integrating them into new styles. She was said to have disappeared only a few years after her first appearance and to have shown up at various times throughout the proceeding centuries. Sometimes to visit old friends who were getting on in their years, other times to meddle with the course of Fate itself. It was said that she was immortal and ageless, that she never stayed in one place very long, and that she 'seems to be searching for something.' This girl fit all the descriptions, although Subaru knew some of them were likely exaggerated. He'd never heard of her taking students before though. 

Research forgotten he said, "I have heard of you; not many people in my field haven't. I've never heard anything about you taking on students before though." 

Emma shrugged. "That's cuz I've never gotten the opportunity before. I've been meaning to for a while but this is the first time I've actually gotten the opportunity to actually offer. So are you interested? It's a great chance to travel the world, have interesting adventures, and learn lots of nifty magic." 

Subaru took a deep breath and thought seriously about how his life was currently going. Nowhere. Everything he had been living for had been lost when Seishirou-san killed Hokuto. All he had left was vengeance and he _knew_ Hokuto-chan wouldn't approve of that. Yet until now that had been his only option, his only reason to continue living.... that and the faint and nearly indistinct hope that maybe, just maybe the reason he was still alive was because Seishirou did care about him at least a _little_. And now he was being offered another choice, a chance to make a new life for himself. He looked up. "Alright, I accept your offer. I would be honored to become your student... but first there are a few things you should know about me." 

Emma cheered and grinned happily. "Wai! My first student. All right then; shall we exchange life stories?" 

Subaru smiled despite himself. "Hai. First of all I'm Subaru Sumeragi of the Sumeragi clan. I'm the thirteenth head but because of recent events I'm retired from active duty." He paused and Emma nodded encouragingly. "It all started several years ago when I was visiting Tokyo with my grandmother...." 

Both having forgotten the reason they had come to the library originally, Subaru and Emma talked for hours. They spoke of adventures they had had, of interests and family, of love and loss. Most of their lives were shared, though Emma's was rather longer than Subaru's, and by the time they had each finished speaking they felt like old friends. It was agreed that Emma would first teach Subaru the spell to turn incorporeal so that the Sakurazukimori couldn't track them. They would stay in Japan only long enough for Subaru to pack his things and for Emma to look in the library in Osaka for the records she was seeking. 

A week later the two of them were on a boat headed to America. Emma hadn't found what she was looking for in Osaka and Subaru had decided to inform his grandmother of his new decision by postcard only after he was far enough away that her objections wouldn't matter. Though he still missed both Hokuto and Seishirou dearly, Subaru was ready and willing to embrace this new life. It was probably going to be as different from what he was used to as possible, and at the moment he felt that was exactly what he needed. For the first time in a long while things were looking up. 

________ 

End of part. 

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